Devices for gripping bottles and the like



April 23, 1963 E. J. M. DARDAINE. ETAL 3,086,805

DEVICES FOR GRIFPING BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 22, 1958 2Sheets-Shem: 1

Z2 2/2164, r5 452 2141 ik kga el D- iaia April 23, 1963 E. J. M.DARDAINE ETAL 3,036,305

DEVICES FOR GRIPPING BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 22, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ofi 3,086,805 Patented Apr. 23, 1963ice 3,086,805 DEVICES FOR GRIPPING BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Edgar JeanMarcel Dardaine, Poissy, and Rene Malibeaux, Paris, France, assignors toE. P. Remy et Cie,

Poissy, Seine-et-Oise, France Filed Jan. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 710,540 13Claims. (Cl. 294-27) The present invention relates essentially togripping devices and has specific reference to gripping devices or headsadapted more particularly to seize bottles, tubes and like containersprovided with beads on their necks.

It is the essential object of this invention to provide a particularlysimple gripping device, head or member in view of reducing to a minimumthe movements and control actions required for example in devices orapparatus for transferring bottles which are equipped with this device.

This gripping device is remarkable notably in that it consists, on theone hand, of a supporting member formed with an aperture of adequatesize adapted to fit on the neck of the bottle or like container to begripped, and, on the other hand, of one or more members fitted in thisaperture to form therein an orifice, cavity or passage of a sectionslightly smaller than that of the neck of the bottle or like containerto be gripped, at least some portions of the member or members whichform the inner edge of the aforesaid orifice, cavity or passage beingresiliently deformable.

From the foregoing, it will be readily understood that by simplythreading or forcing the aforesaid gripping device on the neck of thebottle or like container and exerting a moderate downward pressurethereon, the resiliently deformable portions of the device are caused toretract slightly as they clear the uppermost bead usually formed on topof the neck, and to subsequently engage the peripheral groove or one ofthe peripheral grooves usually provided beneath this bead.

In practice, the gripping member may consist simply of two parts, thatis, a support having a substantially the shape of a hollow cylindricalmandrel, and a washer mounted in this mandrel. The washer may be madefrom any suitable resilient material such as natural or syntheticrubber, plastic, etc.

Other features and advantages of this invention will appear as thefollowing description proceeds with reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification and illustratingschematically by way of example a few embodiments of the inventio In thedrawings:

FIGURE 1 is an axial section illustrating a gripping device constructedaccording to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the inner ringthereof after it has been compressed to clamp the top of a bottle neck;

FIGURE 3 is a plane view from above of the gripping device of FIGURE 1,showing the elements of the locking device;

FIGURE 4 is an axial section showing a modified embodiment of thegripping device according to this inventron;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing the gripping devicein its clamping position;

FIGURE 6 is an axial section illustrating another modification of thegripping device;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view showing a gripping device according to afurther modified embodiment of this invention which constitutes amultiple-head system, and

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal section taken along the line VIII-VIII ofFIGURE 7.

According to the example illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, a hollowcylindrical body or support 16 of the gripping device comprises an innermember 17 of deformable resilient material, for example a rubber orplastic ring or sleeve having the shape of a V-grooved pulley, thesmallest inner diameter d of this element being slightly greater thanthe diameter of the neck of a bottle 18 or like container to be gripped.The member 17 normally engages with its lower edge a flange 19 formedinside the lower edge of the support '16 and projecting slightly to theinside. Overlying the ring or sleeve member 17 is a movable disk orplate 20 of a diameter substantially equal to that of the largestsection of the ring member 17; this disk 20 is secured to the lower endof a control rod 21 slidably mounted relative to the support 16. 'I'hisrod 21 extends through an orifice 22 formed in a top cover 23' secured,for example by screwing, in the upper portion of the support 16.

The ring member 17 may be either simply supported by the flange 19 ofthe support 16 or, if desired, secured to the upper portion thereofbeneath the movable disk or plate 20.

It will be seen that after the gripping member has been brought abovethe neck of a bottle 18 or like container having a neck formed with abead, by simply Iowering the movable disk 20 by means of the rod 21 theresilient ring member 17 will be compressed and caused to clamp the neckunder the bead, as shown more particularly in FIGURE 6. Of course, thiscompression of the ring member 17 cannot take place unless a relativemovement is produced between the plate 20 and the support 16, the latterbeing to this end either fixed or caused to bear on any suitable fixedsurface. Furthermore, any other suitable device for connecting thesupport 16 to the rod 21 associated with the disk 20 may be devised topermit the relative axial movement of these two parts.

If desired, a locking device for holding the resilient member 17 and themovable disk 20 in the position shown in FIGURE 2, for example duringthe time necessary for transferring the bottle by means of this grippingdevice, may be used. A locking device of this character (best seen inFIG. 3) may consist of a simple pawl 24 pivoted at one end through a pin25 on the cover 23 of support 16 and actuated at the other end by meansof a control wire 26, a return spring 27 constantly urging this pawl toits rod-engaging position. The pawl 24 engaging the outer surface of therod 21 is adapted to drop into a notch 28 formed in this surface whenthe rod 21 is lowered to the extent necessary for clamping a bottle neckand causing said notch to register with the pawl 24. To release thebottle neck, the user simply has to pull the wire 26 to free the pawl 24from the notch 28, the rod 21 being thus allowed to move upwardstogether with the disk 20, this upward force being supplied by theinherent resiliency of the expanding ring member 17.

In the modified embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 4 and S, a pair ofsuperposed frusto-conical annular members 17a, 17b are substituted forthe member 17 of the preceding embodiment. The first annular member 17arests on the lower flange 19 of the support 16 and the upper annularmember 17b is secured for example under the movable disk 20 actuated asin the preceding case by a rod 21.

The operation of this gripping device is similar to that of the deviceillustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the downward movement of the disk 20causing both members 17a and 17b to be squeezed as shown in FIGURE 9.The bottle neck'is clamped at the level of the joint between the 'twoannular members 17a and 17b, as shown by an arrow 29, these memberscontacting each other at their smallest diameters.

In another modification of the gripping device illustrated in FIGURE 6,a single frustoconical member is used;

this member, also made of resiliently deformable material, is mountedwithin the support 16 and secured for example under the movable disk sothat its lower and smaller edge extends somewhat through an orificedefined by the inwardly projecting flange 19a of the support 16. Whenthe user causes the disk 20 to move downwards inside the support 16, theannular member 170 is squeezed and therefore compressed to take theposition and shape in which it is shown in dots and dashes at 17'c.

Of course, a locking device of the type illustrated in FIGURES l to 3 orany other suitable locking device may be associated, if desired, withboth the modified embodiments of FIGURES 4-5 and 6.

In a further modified embodiment illustrated in FIG- URES 11 and 12, aplurality of resilient deformable ring members 17', 17", 17" of a shapesimilar to that of ring 17 (FIGURES 7 and 8) are mounted between twoparallel plates 31, 32 superposed and adapted to move toward and awayfrom each other. These rings overlie corresponding orifices 33, 33", 33"formed in the lower plate 31 and adapted to fit over a correspondingnumber of bottle necks; it is evident that when the plates 31, 32 aremoved toward each other, the ring members 17', 17", 17" clamp the bottlenecks and thus a plurality of bottles can be gripped simultaneously.

The relative movement of the plates may be obtained for example byproviding a rod 34 having its lower end secured substantially to thecentre of the lower plate 31 and a portion slidably fitted in a sleevemember 35 secured on the other hand to the upper plate 32. Thus, theupper plate 32 can be lowered by exerting a downward pressure on thesleeve 35 for simultaneously squeezing all the resilient ring membersdisposed between the plates, this movement being attended by a perfactguiding action exerted on the two plates relative to each other, due tothe sliding fit of the central rod 34 in the sleeve 35. Of course, thisdevice is also adapted to be provided with locking means for example ofthe type disclosed hereabove in connection with FIGURES l to 3 forholding the plates 31, 32 in the bottle-clamping position.

Of course, resilient deformable annular members may be provided betweenthe plates 31, 32 having a shape other than the V-grooved pulley shapeillustrated for members 17' etc.; thus, annular members of the typeillustrated in FIGURES 4, 5 or 6 may be used.

According to the principle shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, multiple grippingmembers may be provided for transporting any desired number of bottlesor like containers.

It will be readily understood that the resilient deformable ring membersof the device forming the subjectmatter of this invention may be givenother shapes than those illustrated and described herein, withoutdeparting from the purpose of the invention; thus, their shape may besubstantially spherical or elliptical; besides, these resilientdeformable ring members may be used either separately as in the case ofthe frusto-conical ring mem ber17c of FIGURE 10, or in combination withanother ring member of corresponding shape but disposed upside down, asillustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5.

Furthermore, inner members having resiliently deformable wall portionsonly at the lever of the central orifice may be provided, instead offully resilient inner members.

From the foregoing, it will be readily understood by anybody conversantwith the art that the invention is not limited to the few embodimentsshown and described herein, and many modifications may be imaginedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set Weclaim:

I claim:

1. A gripping head for containers having a grooved neck portion,comprising an outer hollow frame member having a wall portion forming aledge adjacent one end thereof, a resilient ring member having interiorwalls converging from both end faces to a substantially central narrowportion of smallest dimension, said ring member being positioned in saidframe member with one of said end faces engaging said ledge, a plungermember reciprocably mounted in the region of the other end of said framemember and including portions contacting one of said end faces of thering member and being effective, upon movement of said plunger membertowards said one end face, to compress said ring member and to cause theinner walls of said narrow portion to move closer together for grippingsaid neck portion of the container, locking means for positively keyingsaid plunger member to said frame member in the compressed position ofsaid ring member, biasing means secured to said other end for urgingsaid pawl against said notch means, and manually operable release meansfor disengaging the interlocking of said pawl and said notch means.

2. A gripping device for a plurality of containers having grooved neckportions, comprising frame means including top and bottom wall portionssubstantially parallel with but spaced from each other, said wallportions defining each a plurality of substantially aligned apertures,said apertures of the bottom wall portion being adapted to be positionedabove said containers to be grasped by the device, a plurality ofresilient ring members positioned between said wall portions in eachpair of aligned apertures, said ring members having interior wallsconverging from both end faces to substantially central narrow portionsof smallest dimension, said apertures comprising interior ledges forengaging said ring members, a plunger member attached to said bottomwall portion and reciprocably traversing an opening in said top wallportion, and a sleeve secured to said top wall portion in the region ofsaid opening for guiding said plunger member, so that the latter isreciprocable together with said bottom wall portion with respect to saidtop wall portion, compressing thereby said ring members upon movement ofsaid bottom wall portion toward said top wall portion, forsimultaneously gripping said neck portions by means of said centralportions of the ring members.

3. A gripping device for a plurality of containers having constrictedneck portions, comprising frame means including top and bottom wallportions substantially parallel with but spaced from each other, atleast said bottom wall portions defining a plurality of aperturesadapted to be positioned above said containers to be grasped by thedevice, a plurality of resilient ring members positioned between saidwall portions above each of said apertures, said ring members havinginterior walls converging from their top faces towards their bottomfaces of smallest diameter, said apertures of the bottom wall portioncomprising interior ledges for engaging portions of said ring membersintermediate said top and bottom faces but closer to said bottom faces,a plunger member attached to said bottom wall portion and reciprocablytraversing an opening in said top wall portion, and a sleeve secured tosaid top wall portion in the region of said opening for guiding saidplunger member, so that the latter is reciprocable together with saidbottom wall portion while said top wall portion is held stationary,urging thereby said intermediate portions of the ring members infrictional engagement with said ledges, and said bottom faces of thering members into grasping engagement with the constricted neck portionsof all the containers to be gripped by the device.

4. A gripping device for containers having constricted neck portions,comprising a frame member having an upper surface and a lower surface,an aperture in said lower surface, a hollow resilient gripping sleeve ofinverted frusto-conical cross-section adapted to fit over containernecks, positioned within said frame member over said aperture andsupported from said lower surface,

means to compress said sleeve to cause its smaller diameter to constrictand thereby grip the container necks, and

locking means comprising a pawl pivotally mounted on said upper surfaceof the frame member and notch means provided in said compressing meansfor interlocking engagement with said pawl, adapted for positivelykeying said compressing means to said frame member in the compressedposition of said gripping sleeve.

5. A gripping device for containers having constricted neck portions,comprising a frame member having an upper surface and a lower surface,an aperture in said lower surface, a hollow resilient gripping sleeve ofdouble frusto-conical cross-section adapted to fit over container necks,positioned within said frame member over said aperture and supportedfrom said lower surface, means to compress said sieevc to cause itssubstantially centrally located smaller diameter to construct andthereby grip the container necks, and locking means comprising a pawlpivotally mounted on said upper surface of the frame member and notchmeans provided in said compressing means for interlocking engagementwith said pawl, adapted for positively keying said compressing means tosaid frame member in the compressed position of said gripping sleeve.

6. A gripping device for containers having constricted neck portions,comprising a frame member having an upper surface and a lower surface,an aperture in said lower surface, a hollow resilient gripping sleevepositioned within said frame member over said aperture and consisting oftwo members, one member having an upright frusto-conical cross-sectionand the other member having an inverted frustoconical cross-sectionadapted to fit over container necks and supported from said lowersurface, both of said members having a portion of smaller diameter incontact with each other at a substantially central location within saidframe, means to compress said sleeve to cause the smaller diameters ofsaid members to constrict and thereby grip the container necks, andlocking means comprising a pawl pivotally mounted on said upper surfaceof the frame member and notch means provided in said compressing meansfor interlocking engagement with said pawl, adapted for positivelykeying said com pressing means to said frame member in the compressedposition of said gripping sleeve.

7. A gripping device for containers having constricted neck portions,comprising a frame member having an upper surface and a lower surface,an aperture in said lower surface and an internal ledge surrounding saidaperture, a hollow resilient gripping sleeve of inverted frusto-conicalcross-section adapted to fit over container necks and positioned withinsaid frame member, said ledge engaging said sleeve in the region of itssmaller diameter, means to compress said sleeve to cause said smallerdiameter to constrict and thereby grip the container necks, and lockingmeans comprising a pawl pivotally mounted on said upper surface of theframe memher and notch means provided in said compressing means forinterlocking engagement with said pawl, adapted for positively keyingsaid compressing means to said frame member in the compressed positionof said gripping sleeve.

8. A gripping device for containers having constricted neck portions,comprising a frame member having an upper surface and a lower surface, aplurality of apertures in said lower surface, a hollow resilientgripping sleeve of inverted frustoconical cross-section adapted to fitover container necks, positioned within said frame over each of saidapertures and supported from said lower surface, and means to compresssaid sleeves to cause their smaller diameters to constrict and therebyto grip simultaneously a plurality of container necks.

9. A gripping device for containers having a neck with a constrictedportion thcrearound, comprising a hollow frame member having two endportions, one of said end portions having an inner annular ledge, a pairof ring members positioned within said frame with one ring membercontacting said ledge, each of said ring members having an interior wallconverging from one of their end faces to a substantially narrowedportion of smallest dimension, a plunger member rcciprocably mountedadjaccnt the other of said end portions and having portions contactingsaid one end face of one ring and effective to move said ring memberstowards said annular ledge, whereby the ring members are compressed andthe opposite inner walls of said narrowed portions are made to approacheach other for frictionally gripping the constricted portion of thecontainer neck placed in the frame member, and locking means forpositively keying said plunger member to said frame member in thecompressed position of said ring member.

if). A container gripping head for bottle necks. comprising asubstantially c3lindrical hollow mandrel having an inwardly flangedlower end forming an interior ledge, 21 ring member located in saidmandrel and having lower, upright and upper, inverted frustoconicalportions disposed so as to meet at their central narrowed edges ofsubstantially identical small inner diameter, a cover member closing thetop of said mandrel and including an opening and including portionswithin said mandrel contacting the top of said upper ring-member portionand effective, upon downward movement, to deform said ring memher and tocause said central narrowed edges to become reduced in diameter, wherebyto grip the neck of a bottle positioned inside said mandrel, lockingmeans comprising a pawl pivotally mounted on said cover member and notchmeans provided in said plunger member for interlocking engagement withsaid pawl, whereby the plunger member may be positively keyed to themandrel in the compressed position of the ring member.

11. A container gripping head according to claim 10, wherein said covermember is removably threaded onto said top of the mandrel.

12. A container gripping head according to claim 10, wherein saidplunger member includes a rod portion which extends through said openingin the cover memher and a disc portion inside said mandrel which bearsagainst said top of the upper ring-member portion.

13. A container gripping head according to claim 10, further comprisingbiasing means secured to said cover member for urging said pawl againstsaid notch means, and manually operable release means for disengagingthe interlocking of said pawl and said notch means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS685,527 Picken Oct. 29, 1901 1,777,102 Mooney Sept. 30, 1930 2,192,415Sehwarzenzer Mar. 5, 1940 2,308,209 Schmutzer Jan. 12, 1943 2,317,046Fleming Apr. 20, 1943 2,695,190 lvleierjohau Nov. 23, 1954 2,738,114Kahlan Mar. 13, 1956 2,759,756 Sikora Aug. 21, 1956 2,774,502 Novak Dec.18, 1956 2,793,901 Johnson May 28, 1957 2,818,987 Krupp et al. Jan. 7,1958 2,873,996 McHugh Feb. 17, 1959 2,899,232 Walter Aug. 11, 1959FOREIGN PATENTS 710,775 Great Britain June 16, 1954 747,138 GreatBritain of 1956 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPatent No. 3,086,805 April 23. I963 ,Edg'efFi ean Marcel 'Ba rdaine Let.a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered petentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below Column 5, line 15, for "construct" readcoast-riot column6, line 17, for "member" read members line 26, before and including"insert therein, a plunger member reciprocab'le in said opening Signedand sealed this 26th day of November 1963.

(SEAL) Attest: EDWIN L, REYNOLDS ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer AC gCommissioner of Patents

1. A GRIPPING HEAD FOR CONTAINERS HAVING A GROOVED NECK PORTION,COMPRISING AN OUTER HOLLOW FRAME MEMBER HAVING A WALL PORTION FORMING ALEDGE ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF, A RESILIENT RING MEMBER HAVING INTERIORWALLS CONVERGING FROM BOTH END FACES TO A SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRAL NARROWPORTION OF SMALLEST DIMENSION, SAID RING MEMBER BEING POSITIONED IN SAIDFRAME MEMBER WITH ONE OF SAID END FACES ENGAGING SAID LEDGE, A PLUNGERMEMBER RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN THE REGION OF THE OTHER END OF SAID FRAMEMEMBER AND INCLUDING PORTIONS CONTACTING ONE OF SAID END FACES OF THERING MEMBER AND BEING EFFECTIVE, UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID PLUNGER MEMBERTOWARDS SAID ONE END FACE, TO COMPRESS SAID RING MEMBER AND TO CAUSE THEINNER WALLS OF SAID NARROW PORTION TO MOVE CLOSER TOGETHER FOR GRIPPINGSAID NECK PORTION OF THE CONTAINER, LOCKING MEANS FOR POSITIVELY KEYINGSAID PLUNGER MEMBER TO SAID FRAME MEMBER IN THE COMPRESSED POSITION OFSAID RING MEMBER, BIASING MEANS SECURED TO SAID OTHER END FOR URGINGSAID PAWL AGAINST SAID NOTCH MEANS, AND MANUALLY OPERABLE RELEASE MEANSFOR DISENGAGING THE INTERLOCKING OF SAID PAWL AND SAID NOTCH MEANS.